Month: September 2023

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s radical industrial relations Bill will not pass through Parliament this year after the government was defeated in a vote in the Senate today.

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash moved a motion to have a Senate inquiry into the Bill report back in February next year. The Government wanted it to report back in November.

Senate crossbenchers supported Senator Cash’s motion.

“Tony Burke and the government had an embarrassing loss in the Senate today when my motion was supported,’’ she said.

“Mr Burke had been clear that he wanted to ram this Bill through the parliament this year,’’ Senator Cash said.

“There was absolutely no need to rush this process because as Mr Burke knows most of the measures in the Bill would not be enacted until the middle or even the end of next year,’’ she said.

“I applaud crossbench Senators for supporting the motion which gives the inquiry enough time to properly examine this complex and costly Bill,’’ she said.

“We will now get an inquiry that will be able to travel around the country to hear from all affected stakeholders,’’ Senator Cash said.

“It is important that the Senate properly examines a Bill which will radically change the industrial relations landscape in this country,’’ she said.

“This Bill and its explanatory memorandum contain almost 800 pages and it was absolutely ridiculous that Mr Burke wanted a rushed inquiry process,’’ Senator Cash said.

“We only got to see the Bill on Monday after a so-called consultation process shrouded in secrecy and gag orders,’’ she said.

“At least now everything is out in the open and we can scrutinise this Bill,’’ Senator Cash said.

There are many compelling reasons for casting a ‘No’ vote to Albanese’s proposed racist Voice. Many of these reasons are rooted in the very foundation of the Voice concept itself. Despite assertions to the contrary, it’s essential to look at the potential consequences of this proposal honestly and openly, especially since every single ‘Yes’ campaigner has linked Voice to ‘treaty’. 

The Link Between Voice and Treaty:  

One key aspect of the debate centres on the connection between the proposed Voice and the concept of ‘Treaty’. Advocates argue that the two are “inexorably linked.” While the intention may be to address historical grievances, it’s vital to consider the potential consequences.

Legal Challenges and Taxpayer Burden:

There are decades of costly legal challenges associated with Treaty negotiations. These legal battles, when they arise, will place a significant financial burden on taxpayers. The question becomes, who will bear the brunt of these expenses?

Demands for Land Control and Reparations:

As Treaty discussions progress, some fear that demands for control of land and requests for further taxpayer dollars in the name of “reparations” could emerge. These potential demands raise important questions about the distribution of resources and the impact on the broader Australian population.

The Quest for Unity and Fairness:

Amid these concerns, there’s a shared desire among many Australians for unity and fairness. The question then becomes whether the proposed Voice and Treaty concept aligns with these values or if they risk perpetuating division, conflict, and resentment.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a Strategic Partnership with President of the Philippines HE Ferdinand R Marcos Jr during his visit to Manila on 8 September.

The new Strategic Partnership establishes an enduring framework for closer cooperation with the Philippines, one of Australia’s key partners in Southeast Asia, based on a strong alignment of strategic interests.

In Manila, Prime Minister Albanese announced the following initiatives to boost ties with the Philippines:

• Australia Awards Scholarships to the Philippines will be increased to more than double current numbers. In 2024, over 50 scholarships will be awarded to Filipinos to study Masters and PhD programs in Australia, building invaluable connections between our people.
• The re-establishment of a Philippines Institute at the Australian National University as part of the Government’s commitment to boosting ties with Southeast Asia, building partnerships between our institutions and deepening shared understanding of each others’ perspectives and interests.
• A new reciprocal Work and Holiday visa for Australians and Filipinos, supporting stronger economic, cultural and people-to-people links.
• To support regional stability, a new $64.5 million contribution to peacebuilding in conflict-affected Mindanao. The five year program will help to reduce violent conflict, reintegrate former combatants and support community development, particularly for women.

The Prime Minister’s visit to the Philippines reflects the priority Australia has placed on deepening relations with Southeast Asia, and follows the Prime Minister’s launch of the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 in Jakarta this week.

The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in the region and represents substantial potential for Australia to deepen our trade and investment relationship. The Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 will help Australian businesses and investors take advantage of key sectors in the Philippines, including agriculture and food, education and skills, resources and the clean energy transition.

Prime Minister Albanese is the first Australian Prime Minister to travel to the Philippines on a bilateral visit since 2003.

The Prime Minister has invited President Marcos to Australia in March 2024 to attend a Special Summit to Commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“I am honoured to have been invited by President Marcos to visit Manila and sign this historic Strategic Partnership.

“Australia and the Philippines enjoy a long-standing relationship based on close cooperation and enriched by the 400,000 Australians with Filipino heritage.

“Today is a watershed moment for relations between Australia and the Philippines. Our Strategic Partnership will facilitate closer cooperation between our countries and contribute to an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”

With Brisbane Airport set to double its traffic by 2035, Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown today announced plans to bring peace and a good night’s sleep to thousands of Brisbane residents impacted by flight noise.

The bill introduces hourly caps on flights, a late night curfew on non-emergency flights over Brisbane and brings in a long-term plan to move more flights over the water rather than over the city—in line with similar legislation that successfully manages flight noise over Sydney.

Anthony Albanese himself campaigned for Sydney’s cap and curfew regulations in 1996 and now refuses to support grassroots campaigns in Brisbane calling for the same peace of mind.

Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, has repeatedly refused to meet with the local community over flight noise—and dared Brisbane residents to protest about it at her National Press Club address in March.

In response, the community organised a massive protest outside Brisbane Airport Corporation’s headquarters in June which attracted more than a thousand attendees.

The Brisbane Airport Curfew and Demand Management Bill 2023 follows strong grassroots campaigns across Brisbane and thousands of conversations Brisbane’s Greens MPs Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Max Chandler-Mather and Stephen Bates have had over the last two years.

The bill is set to be debated in October.

Elizabeth Watson-Brown, MP for Ryan and Greens spokesperson for Infrastructure, Transport and Sustainable Cities said:

It’s time the government listens to the Brisbane community on flight noise. Their ask is simple: they want a curfew and cap on flights just like Sydney has.

Anthony Albanese got into Parliament in 1996 having campaigned strongly for Sydney’s cap and curfew — but now that he’s Prime Minister, he is backing private airport profits over the needs of our community.

We’re calling on every Liberal and Labor politician whose job it is to represent the people of Brisbane to join us in supporting this bill—so Brisbane can get a good night’s sleep.

In Senate Question Time today the Government was unable to give women a date for when they will deliver on their so-called intention to provide super on PPL, leaving Australian women desperate and dateless for fairer Paid Parental Leave.

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters said:

“In the last financial year, Labor gave $9.8 billion worth of subsidies to fossil fuel industries, and they’ve committed half a trillion dollars to nuclear submarines. And yet women have to wait for super on PPL, despite it costing a modest $200m each year, because ‘budget constraints’. 

“Why are women forced to wait when other things are not subject to ‘budget constraints?

“The Greens have committed to pass the superannuation tax reforms if Labor funds super on PPL, so the excuse about budget constraints really doesn’t fly.

“The Government’s superannuation tax proposal is such a timid proposed change to the tax concessions the obscenely wealthy receive. If Labor is not going to improve it, the least they can do is put the revenue to good use for the legions of women retiring into poverty.

“We will use our balance of power in the Senate to get outcomes for families and for the women in Australia retiring with 23 per cent less superannuation than men.”

Minister Plibersek has ignored her own department’s conservation advice and is failing to show the strong political leadership necessary to help prevent the Maugean skate from going extinct.

New conservation advice states that for the Maugean skate to be afforded the best possible chance of survival impacts of salmonid aquaculture on dissolved oxygen concentrations in Macquarie Harbour must be “eliminated or significantly reduced”. The advice explicitly states that the fastest and simplest way to achieve this is by “significantly reducing fish biomass”.

Yet, on the eve of Threatened Species Day, Minister Plibsek made the underwhelming decision to ignore this advice, and instead opted for a $2.1 million funding announcement focused on creating a Maugean skate insurance population if it can’t be saved in its wild home.

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said: 

“Minister Plibersek’s decision to ignore her own department’s conservation advice tells you everything you need to know about how captured the Labor party is by the big salmon corporations that are trashing Tasmania’s magnificent waterways. 

“What’s the point of having a Threatened Species Scientific Committee and establishing a Maugean Skate National Recovery Team to help save the species, if you then disregard its key findings? 

“Minister Plibersek has the power to act and to save the Maugean skate from extinction and she needs to pull every lever available to her to make this a reality, yet her decisions so far have been completely underwhelming. 

“Clearly Minister Plibersek is failing to show the strong political leadership necessary to protect the skate, making the survival of this ancient species a political decision. 

“The Minister’s failure to heed her own department’s advice also raises significant questions as to whether Labor is serious about its Zero Extinction pledge.”

This morning Senator Janet Rice, Greens spokesperson for government services and social services, will debate the Greens’ Antipoverty Commission Bill. 

This Bill would set up the Antipoverty Commission, an independent body to provide independent and transparent advice to the government about alleviating poverty in Australia. 
The Bill goes further than the current interim Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee which is due ahead of next year’s budget, and provides a clear framework for a robust body to tackle poverty.

The Greens’ Antipoverty Commission is a benchmark to assess future legislation and to ensure we have the best chance of eradicating poverty in Australia.

Greens spokesperson for government services and social services Senator Janet Rice said:

“Successive governments have used the lack of a national definition of poverty as an excuse to keep people living on inadequate income support payments. We need a national definition of poverty – one that takes into account different needs and contexts, and one that the government can be held accountable to.

“This week in Parliament has shown that the Labor Government has some major issues when it comes to dealing with transparency in politics. Establishing more truly independent bodies to advise government is an important starting point.

“While the Greens support the concept of and work done by the interim Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee, it is abundantly clear that the original committee does not go far enough to tackle poverty in Australia. There’s no way to ensure that the people appointed to the Committee are truly independent from vested corporate interests.

“Poverty is a political choice. Labor is choosing to keep millions of Australians on income support well below the poverty line. All Centrelink payments must be raised above the poverty line to $88 a day.

“If this last year of a Labor government has shown us anything, it’s that they do not take tackling poverty seriously. We need an explicit focus on addressing poverty in the shape of a commission to develop a national poverty line. We need an independent commission that listens to people with direct experiences of poverty and experts who make independent recommendations to the government.

“At this stage, the combined cost of living and housing crisis aren’t going anywhere and people’s lives are getting harder. A truly independent Antipoverty Commission will help us navigate this difficult time and be the self-standing body we need to guide us on how to fix it.”